English word origin

Etymology of dibs

Since the early 19th century, of disputed origin. Most commonly thought to be from dibstones (“counters used in a game with the same name”). Also from dib (“to tap”) or related to northern English dip (“small depression

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

intj

Used to claim this right.

noun

The right to use or enjoy something exclusively or before anyone else.

verb

To claim a temporary right to (something); to reserve.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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      "dib",
      "dib#English"
    ],
    [
      "dip",
      "dip#English"
    ],
    [
      "divide",
      "divide#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
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      "pos": "intj",
      "glosses": [
        "Used to claim this right."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ],
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        "The right to use or enjoy something exclusively or before anyone else."
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      "pos": "verb",
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      ],
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Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

noun

A sweet preparation or treacle of grape juice, much used in the East.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree Proto-Semitic *dibš- Arabic دِبْس (dibs)bor. English dibs Borrowed from Arabic دِبْس (dibs).

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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        "3": "ar:دِبْس",
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Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for dibs →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-ZGlicw